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Relevant Or Redundant: What Kind Of Leader Are You?

Forbes Coaches Council

Driving Leadership growth in the region through a coaching approach | ICF Master Certified Coach | Founder Cupela Consulting.

A lot of things that we once viewed as certain have now changed. Many of us feel that this is a surreal experience and ask ourselves when things will "go back to normal."

But evolution only moves in one direction. We don’t go back; we move relentlessly forward. We live in a new reality, and leaders at all levels have to come to terms with that. Some will struggle. Some will learn to cope and survive, and others will embrace it and may even succeed. But those who actually lead the change are the ones who will grow and excel.

You can either be the disruptor or the disrupted. Those are the choices.

The organizational change cycle can teach us a lot about this challenging time. The massive changes that occur there have been well researched, and many valuable change management practices have been developed.

Mergers And Acquisitions (M&A)

Two companies becoming one means that there are a lot of cuts, rationalizations and redundancies, especially in the C-suite, because the new entity only needs one of each leadership role.

This reminds me of a painful process of M&A I once went through. In hindsight, I see that the team that managed the whole M&A survived and grew. What did they do differently? Among other things, they were aware of what was coming, so they planned better. They embraced and drove many changes and they were visible.

Leadership Lesson: Get out there and visibly help the company achieve its short- and long-term goals.

Executive Leadership Change

Another major change many of us have experienced is a change in the CEO or another C-level executive. More often than not, the new leader brings in a new perspective. That is usually part of the job description the board has given them. Nevertheless, many employees from the old guard hang on to the legacy; they resent the change because they built and own the legacy, so it feels like a personal affront to them to change it.

In reality, what they built was likely good for its time, but now something else is needed. The world is always changing, and the changes are happening faster and faster, so we need to evolve at an ever-increasing pace. Those who get in the way of progress and growth will be replaced.

Leadership Lesson: The world is constantly changing. We have to accept that what we build is temporary. If we hang on to it for too long, it will take us down with it.

Disruption Caused By Competitors

Many industries have been disrupted over the last 10 years. The myriad examples include the entertainment, hospitality, transportation and retail sectors. Many companies tried to stem the tide of change by lobbying for laws to slow down the new technologies. However, the market forces and consumer satisfaction have more leverage in the long run, so the changes move forward. 

Leadership Lesson: Don't wait for someone to disrupt you and put you on the defensive. Rethink your business model constantly. Hoping that things will get better is not a strategy.

Learn From Startups

Why do startups succeed? Because everyone in the startup has an owner’s mindset. 

In the knowledge economy, we no longer need obedient worker bees; we need employees who take ownership of their tasks and dig deep to give their best performance, and who are spurred on by purpose and trust.

Leadership Lesson: Try to exercise less control and build more trust. Let employees own their tasks so they can fully leverage their expertise and experience.

Leading your organization into an uncertain future is always going to be challenging. As a leader, you want to exude confidence and trustworthiness. Help yourself by staying aware of the bigger picture, being proactive and building a collaborative culture that supports all of you in staying relevant as a company.


Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?


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